The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-08
C00UELLN ON IRVING.
The Great French Actors Criticism OF the
Great Engllsh Actors Playing In "Faust."

Harper's Weekly Of this week will contain
an article by NJ Coquelin. the famous French
actor, written In reply to Mr.. Irving's recent
article in the Nineteenth Century. criticising
some views Of NJ. CoQuelin that were expressed
In Herpe,'s Magazine last May. After stating
some Of the general points of disagreement be-
tween Mr.. Irving and himself in their theories
OF acting NJ. Coquelin proceeds to speak OF Mr..
Irying's manner Of playing Mephtstopheles: ~,
s Hs e s saf k s sa f rvna ae Sssrve fs
he sometimes conforms; he changes his voice
10 lSf Why he plays 70
with the voice OF Romeo. Do those differences
prevent being as poetic and sublime as is de;
sss they the ere o obtains" @Ssn
ias ro@ having s H o11s she Soul
role for the exterior. said. and repeat. that
the actor must first become peneetrated. With
way swallow and digest It. and wheu once he
has assimilated It. the exterior will follow Of
sss Gss the shs
this axiom is so materialistic Mr.. Irving
cites Kean: who sonetimes passed from
s. 9asssa WHO'S.
s ss NOT %st III sns
answer two S't things: the first is that on the
dfif lid t1 san 90
is that even In drawing rooms he did not re-
tee that at his Voice changed that. ardent and
passionate in Romeo. IT became sarcastic
same way way his Sreast. instead oi being BROAD
shoulder grew hamPy; that ills sttitpde 6s;;
And this. Imagine. did not impair the poetry
o. sBhs at ssys Mr. Irving. you affirm tina.
that Mephistopheies should therefore be repre-.
ssn ssds IN
which sn Ssea t. 81, insist Ra dsy
na@bes the %' whose
nd who es Sn %h
being at the same time very handsome men.
This T. the brittany passage Ct his srtisle: But
do here with the enlightenment Of our .ageY
MSt99eteSs n p e55sSEaage OF oSf tines
ased she madS him o6es
Ing therein an old human tendency OF WHICH
there still remains something. whatever. Mr..
aosstRs sas wfR the
plain words MephiSto's cloven foot is mentioned
tWonty times IN tnuSt ana MS Walk must
count OF his ugliness2 did not find it con.
trary to the spirit Of the role when I saw Le-
whisky represent Mephistopheles with a slight
hump on his back; not because. as Mr.. Irving
thinks, hump is to my mind a symbol OF
prejudices, it always implies wit ,,t and
%hcS Elves ree
other respects. the attention OF this remarkable
artist has been especially directed to the mega
tive side Of the role. Mephisto is the one who
says No. His role is to disgust Faust with
and sarcasm are his arms: and Levinsky
manages these arms superlativey. The more
vivid the expression given to the universal in
duence Of the OWL innate is MephistO. and the
and In this Mr.. irving succeeds marveIously-
the better; but l. think 1t is a mistake to make
him handsome. inasmuch rs both the author
and the legend represent him otherwise.
hs 81
terpiece. This error Is not absolutely imputa-
BILE to the actor, 1t is imposed upon the actor
by the theatrical manager. The error allude
tS q thS 0i f9nPsts Hat I the
70 conceive Hamlet" without the Prince, OF
Denmark, 1t seems no less difficult TO. play
Faust" without, Faust But. this. Is
almost what Mr.. Irving is doing.
aver having at hand for Mephistopheies an ex-
ceptiCnal actor. and having no such actor for
Faust solved, the difficulty by sacrificing the
latter role. The result is that the piece does
does not seem to have noticed this fact. and
the authority Of his general observations ON
tho work Is detracted from all the more as
manager and actor are In this case one and
the same person. namely. Mr.. Irving himself"